What Garden Chores You Need to Do Before Summer Arrives
There is always work to do in the garden, especially in late spring. Read on to learn a few of the most important garden tasks you should complete before the summer months arrive.
If you want your garden to be as beautiful and productive as possible during the summer, you need to put in some work during the spring. Specifically, the maintenance tasks you complete in the late spring can work wonders for your garden and allow it to grow healthily throughout the rest of the growing season. Here is a breakdown of what those tasks are and how you can complete them on your own.
As you likely know, there are many gardening activities you can do in spring. However, many gardeners fail to recognize which of these activities is most important during the late spring months. Below are five essential late-spring tasks that you should not neglect:
Each of those chores plays a different role in your garden’s health. Continue reading to learn how you can implement each one.
While many plants do best with early-spring pruning, there are other tree and shrub species that you should avoid pruning at those times. Specifically, woody plants that bloom in the spring should not receive pruning cuts until later in the season. Pruning these plants too early will remove their flower buds and diminish their seasonal blooms.
If you have spring-blooming plants that hold their buds on old wood, wait until the blooms have faded in late spring. Then make pruning cuts to remove dead and damaged limbs, and shape the plant to your liking. As always, you should study the specific pruning needs of your plants before you start removing branches.
If you choose to plant edible plants in the fall, then you can expect many of them to be ready for harvest in the spring season. Plants such as onions and spring-bearing strawberries are among the plants that you’ll want to harvest at this time. Harvesting your plants in late spring not only gives you some healthy produce to eat, but it also supports the health of your plants and gives you space to plant more crops to harvest later.
As the last section suggested, late spring can be a time to harvest some plants. It is also an ideal time to plant edible species that will be ready for harvest in the summer and fall. In fact, some of the most popular garden vegetables can go into the ground during this season.
Tomatoes and honeydew are among the plants that thrive in the warm soil that late spring and summer can provide. Planting such fruits and vegetables in mid to late spring gives them plenty of time to develop over the growing season, making for an ample harvest a few months later.
The hot temperatures that accompany the summer season can be a threat to your plants. Strong sunlight can cause your plants to dry out and decline, especially during heat waves or periods of extreme drought. Fortunately, there are ways that you can anticipate and prepare for the summer heat.
One of the most reliable methods for combating harsh summer weather is to cover your planting beds with a thick layer of organic mulch. Mulch layers help the soil retain moisture and minimize sudden temperature shifts.
At times, you may have advanced notice about a heatwave. When you get such notice, you would be wise to begin watering your beds in advance. Providing water ahead of a hot summer dry spell gives your plants a much better chance of remaining hydrated and healthy.
Many gardeners grow container plants that enjoy warm weather year-round. The best way to do that in colder regions is to overwinter those plants until the cold weather has subsided. Typically, late spring is a safe time to reintroduce your indoor plants to the outdoors. However, you should pay attention to your plant’s needs and the specifics of your local climate to determine the perfect time to transfer these plants outside.
Tending to a garden is a year-round effort, and late spring is one of the most crucial times to perform some vital garden maintenance. If you follow the advice in this article and complete the five tasks described, you can rest assured that your garden will be vigorous and attractive for months to come.